1-25. Two Days and Two Nights.

THE PLOT

The third time proves to be the charm, as Enterprise finally reaches Risa for its long-overdue shore leave. T'Pol stays aboard to run the ship. Cutler supervises the sickbay as Dr. Phlox takes his needed time to hibernate. Meanwhile, the rest of the command crew head to the planet for very different vacation plans.

Trip and Reed are determined to expand their horizons at a local bar... but their selected one-night-stands have an unexpected surprise for them. Mayweather decides to go climbing on a cliff-face whose slope changes constantly... with predictable consequences. Hoshi decides to just settle in, free of the universal translator, and practice speaking Risan... which catches the eye of an amorous fellow vacationer (Rudolf Martin). Finally, Archer's quiet retreat to a villa overlooking the seaside connects him with an attractive woman (Dey Young)... but as he gets to know her, he discovers that they share a closer connection than he had counted on.


CHARACTERS

Archer: Despite sometimes seeming like the sort of guy who would have been a "frat boy king" in his youth, Archer is not entirely comfortable taking vacations. While Trip and Reed head for a bar to score one-night-stands as fast as possible, Archer decides to take a quiet vacation with his dog, catching up on his reading and watching the stars. He enjoys making a low-key, adult connection with Keyla. However, he cannot turn off his inner starship captain long enough to enjoy her company once she lets slip her own past with the Suliban.

Trip/Reed: The double-act they began in Shuttlepod One continues here. The two actors bounce off each other very well in their ill-fated comic quest to Get Laid Now, and their attempted improvisations ("We're both the captain... We take turns") and their continuing bickering is quite entertaining.  That said, their subplot is easily the most disposable of the episode.

Hoshi: A very relaxed episode for Hoshi.  She seems to be genuinely enjoying herself in every scene, whether practicing her language skills with an older Risan couple or enjoying a vacation romance with the guest star of the week. Linda Park is terrific throughout, and it's nice to see an episode focusing on Hoshi without forcing her to deal with emotional "issues." Linda Park is also quite lovely, and in the "morning after" scene, I felt a touch envious of Rudolf Martin's Ravis.

Phlox: His need for hibernation, mentioned in earlier episodes, becomes a plot point here, when he is effectively incapacitated during a minor medical emergency. John Billingsley is highly entertaining as a semi-irrational, sleep-craving Phlox.  Still, this subplot does beg the question: Given that it's part of Phlox's genetic makeup that he absolutely must hibernate for a certain period each year, surely the ship needs more of a backup medic than the girl who has a crush on him? Lovely to see Cutler again, by the way - though it's a pity that this was apparently her last appearance.

Hot Alien Space Babe of the Week: Dey Young is Keyla, Archer's attractive vacation neighbor. At first, she seems to simply be a friendly, somewhat lonely and reclusive woman in early middle age, someone similar enough to Archer in both age and temperament to make a pleasantly low-key, short-term match. Given the innocuous nature of the episode's first half, it actually comes as a surprise when Keyla brings up the Suliban, reminding us of the ongoing arc. Keyla exits leaving us with more questions than answers.  I find myself hoping that we will see her again, if only to see exactly what it is she is up to. Young and Bakula play off each other quite well, so a return appearance would certainly be welcome.


THOUGHTS

Enterprise seems to do very well with character-based episodes. The cast seem to do far better simply interacting in differing settings than when they have to run through Trek formulas. I also can't help but notice that, one episode from the season's end, we are yet to have even have a single "redshirt death." Enterprise may not have been different enough from the Trek formula to stand out in the early 2000's, at the tail end of a glut of Trek spinoffs. But in retrospect, it does have a very different feel than other series, and it seems far more its own show than, say, Voyager did.

There's a definite sense that this ensemble is far more comfortable in their roles than in the early episodes of the series. By this point, every character on the show is working... except Mayweather. I had to laugh when Phlox's reaction to being told there was an emergency involving Mayweather was, "Who?" Even the writers are acknowledging that Mayweather is a nonentity.  The end of this season would have been a fine time to have not only acknowledged that the character didn't work, but also to drop that character (something which I already know didn't happen, but it would have been a good idea).


Rating: 7/10. A quiet, but thoroughly enjoyable, 45 minutes of television.

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1-13. Dear Doctor

THE PLOT

The Enterprise discovers a ship from a pre-warp civilization drifting in space. Taking the two ill crew members aboard, they quickly learn that these aliens from a civilization that is suffering from a mass epidemic that is now affecting a full third of the population. Archer offers his resources, along with the ingenuity of Dr. Phlox, to try to find a cure.

On the planet, however, their task is complicated by the discovery of a second group of humanoids, one not affected by the disease. The dominant species keeps this second group in servitude, protecting them but also controlling where and how they live. When Dr. Phox discovers that the disease is actually a genetic deterioration, and that the second species appears to have been selected by evolution to become the dominant species - as occurred with Neanderthals vs. homo sapiens on Earth - he finds himself faced with a difficult dilemma.


CHARACTERS

Capt. Archer: Amazingly, the caution and self-doubts Archer finally learned in the previous episode appear not to have been wiped away this time. Archer doesn't simply implusively offer help the instant he hears of the aliens' plight. He actually pauses to consult with T'Pol before making his offer. He consults with T'Pol again when the aliens request warp technology, and thoughtfully acknowledges that as much as he would like to help them, "they aren't ready." His compassion, as Phlox observes, does continue to override his judgment at times, but Archer is learning from experience. It's good to see genuine character progression. The episode also offers Scott Bakula's best performance yet, as Archer's weariness at the burden he has assumed here mounts steadily.

T'Pol: The relationship between T'Pol and Archer has progressed considerably since the pilot. T'Pol is quite supportive of Archer in this episode. She gives her opinions, but doesn't do so in a strident or confrontational manner, and even seems compassionate as she observes Archer wrestling with the dilemma. I do wonder if this point was reached too quickly, perhaps, but it is good to see this more mature interaction between the two characters just the same.

Dr. Phlox: Also finally - a character spotlight episode of Enterprise that doesn't simply repeat what we already know about the character. I commented, in my review of the pilot, that there was something a bit creepy in Phlox, and that I hoped his genuinely alien perspective would be elaborated upon. This finally happens here. Dr. Phlox is friendly and outgoing, but he is not as enthusiastically compassionate as the human crewmembers. In some ways, he actually seems less emotional than T'Pol, filtering his interactions through science at every turn.

I also enjoyed the budding friendship/romance between Phlox and Cutler (Kellie Waymire, becoming the first recurring guest crew member). They are, indeed, a "cute couple," and I wouldn't mind seeing this subplot developed further. Sadly, consulting IMDB reveals that Waymire died not long after this show's first season was produced - startling, given her youth and on-screen energy. I actually wish I hadn't IMDB'd her now, as that will cast a bit of a funereal pall over any of her future appearances.


THOUGHTS

Now this was an episode of Enterprise! From actually utilizing Dr. Phlox's non-human status, to Archer having to wrestle with his conscience vs. his reason because of the lack of any guidelines over his actions, to the doctor actively considering withholding information from Archer... This is the show that Enterprise's best moments have provided postcard glimpses of from the beginning.

This story, as presented, simply could not be an episode of any other Star Trek show, and yet the universe itself remains recognizably Trek. Here's hoping this points to the sort of episode I can expect in the future, and that it's not simply a one-off.

There is food for thought and debate here. Archer's argument with Dr. Phlox near the end particularly sees both characters having good points. As a doctor, Phlox is devoted to preserving life. However, as a scientist, he knows that if he cures the one species, then the other will suffer. There is no easy answer, and many viewers may be as apt to think that Phlox is wrong in his stance here as believe that he is right. That said, I do wish the original ending - in which Phlox made his decision and never disclosed it to Archer - should have been retained (Archer's final determination seemed vaguely out of character, given his portrayal in episodes prior to this one).

The same can be said of the relationship between the two species. Hoshi and Cutler are disturbed by the subordinate species being treated "almost as pets" by the more advanced race. Dr. Phlox has a far more dispassionate view, noting that the two races have found a means of co-existence that appears to work for them both, and that is certainly preferable to one species driving the other to extinction. Again, while I won't say that both sides are equally balanced, there is food for argument as to who is right and who is wrong.

In any case, this is by far the best Enterprise episode yet.


Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Silent Enemy
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1-04. Strange New World

THE PLOT

Archer and crew are delighted to discover a genuine, Earth-like planet, with an oxygen atmosphere, vegetation, and all. T'Pol advises caution; Archer completely disregards her (why do I have a feeling this is something I'll be typing over and over again in these plot descriptions?), insisting on an immediate landing party.

Archer is content to stretch his legs for a bit before going back to the ship. T'Pol, however, wishes to stay to complete her scientific scans of the planet. Trip and Mayweather (formerly known as Token Black Guy) stay as well, along with two guest characters whose names already escape me.

When a storm kicks up, this little vacation turns serious, however. They take refuge from the storm in a cave. But Mayweather insists he has seen alien life, despite scans from the ship reporting nothing. When Male Guest Character freaks out and runs into the storm, Trip pursues - only to see aliens coming out of the rock itself! When Trip returns to the cave, he learns that Female Guest Character saw T'Pol talking with these aliens... sparking Trip's distrust of Vulcans, and putting the landing party at odds with itself!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Archer: There's little new development here. He's still headstrong, and - along with the crew - possibly getting a bit stir-crazy inside the cramped ship. His friendship with Trip is elaborated on, as he talks an increasingly irrational Trip down from a murderous rage by drawing on Trip's trust in him. He also demonstrates resourcefulness and quick thinking at the climax of the episode.

Trip: Broken Bow harped on Archer's distrust of Vulcans, but generally portrayed Trip as more laid-back. This episode shows that Trip is at least as suspicious of their Vulcan "allies" as his captain is, and indicates that Trip may have some violent tendencies under his easygoing surface.

T'Pol: As the situation in the cave becomes heated, it is revealed that the resentment cuts both ways. T'Pol still feels very much separate from the crew, and deep-down believes that the humans are little more than savages, unfit to be explorers. She does put some trust in Archer at the finale, though, and maintains more rationality than the human members of the landing crew manage to do. Jolene Blalock's performance still isn't impressing me, but it seems to be improving - which, given the prominence of her role, is a very good thing.

The Enterprise Crew: Mayweather gets a scene! He still doesn't have a character, but at least he gets one good scene, telling a ghost story by a fire. The actor does a good job with this short bit, and my conclusion is that the actor is good enough to carry a role. Now if only the writers would actually create one for him. Dr. Phlox's medical skills are further expanded on, when he manages to save a crewmember after a transporter accident (exactly how is left very vague; apparently, in the original draft script, he was unable to save the crewman, and that probably should have been the case in the final episode). Hoshi and Reed are present in the background, but get less character development than Archer's beagle in this ep. Oh, and though I haven't particularly commented on him yet, I quite like Porthos, and it enhances Archer's quirky side that he actually brought his dog with him into outer space.


THOUGHTS

Finishing Disc One. Though this episode, like its predecessors, has its flaws and missed opportunities, I'm starting to wonder exactly when this program is going to start sucking. Because so far, it doesn't. Sure, there's a much more interesting show fighting to get out from underneath the generic writing. But three episodes in, all three episodes have been reasonably engaging. For a so-called "franchise killer," the program's not only not bad - I'd so far rate it somewhere between "fair" and "pretty good" on my personal scale.

In the first two episodes, we saw how reluctant the crew was to use the transporter. In this episode, we see why. When an emergency forces them to use the transporter to retrieve Expendable Male Guest Character, we see that these primitive transporters are a lot less reliable than the ones employed by Kirk & co, as the crew member ends up with bits of the world's plantlife mixed in with his skin. Uch! We're told Dr. Phlox manages to save him... but I'm guessing some extensive surgery was involved, and that the crew member's not going to be up to full strength anytime soon. No wonder this Enterprise crew is so insistent on using shuttlecraft.

I think I enjoyed the first half of the episode, with the crew relaxing and getting giddily enthusiastic over exploring a not-very-strange new world, more than the second half. The "crisis" in this episode seemed forced and manufactured. I also felt that there was a missed opportunity there. The pilot established Archer's intrinsic distrust of the Vulcans. How much more interesting might this scenario have been if Trip had gone back to the ship at the end of the day, and Archer had stayed? Then the climax would have had Archer waving a gun in T'Pol's face, and Trip talking down a man who was not only his friend, but actually his superior officer. The potential for drama would have been much enhanced, even if it did take the series' lead away from the "heroic" position. To me, that one switch - Trip on the ship, Archer in the cave - would have made the episode considerably more interesting.

Still, it's an engaging piece. The actor playing Trip obviously has fun getting to go over-the-top in the angry cave scenes. I may even revise my comment above if Trip's potential for violence ever comes up again.


Rating: 6/10

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